Page 25 of River

We walked upstairs and into another room, where she tapped a board, and it slid open. There was a hidden area, a tiny space barely big enough for two people. I looked at Steven—his broad shoulders and tall frame barely fit. He grinned.

We squeezed inside, and she shut the wall. “I hope she lets us out soon,” I said, sliding down the wall. I sat down, and Steven followed. I never liked tight spaces.

“She’ll probably wait until it’s dark. We have at least four hours. So, tell me what you’ve been doing since I last saw you?” he asked.

“How long has it been? Five years?”

“At least five.”

“I got married, then lost my husband and my baby boy on the same night. Now, I work for the Golden Team.”

“I’m sorry. That must have been hard.”

“Yeah, it was. I disappeared for three years. It’s something I’ll never fully get over.”

“So, the Golden Team. How’s that?”

“I love my job. I go around the world with them. I didn’t tell them I was coming here. If they knew, they’d probably be here by now. I told them I needed a two-weekvacation. No use upsetting them. So, what have you been up to?”

“My life is what you see. I volunteer to rescue Americans in other countries. Sometimes, even in America,” Steven said. I noticed a sadness in his eyes.

“How’s your family? I sometimes see Jason in the news, always with a different beautiful woman on his arm.”

“Yes, Jason is running for Senate.”

“What about Michael? What’s he doing these days?”

“Michael was killed three months ago.”

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. What happened?”

“I believe he was set up. It’s something I’m still investigating. Michael was too smart to die the way they said he did. Jason is ready to go to Russia and kill all of them. Do you remember how he always talked things out? Well, with Michael’s disappearance, he’s different. I had to almost hold him down. He wanted to go to Russia and accuse them of kidnapping Michael.”

“Tell me.”

“Michael fell in love. The woman he loved was a lying bitch—dangerous too. I tried to warn him, but he wouldn’t listen. Her name is Sasha Petrov. She’s a spy. I told Michael, but he refused to believe me.”

“He went away with Sasha to Russia. I warned him she’d use him, make him work for them because he was a famous scientist. He got mad at me; that was the last time I saw him.”

“Did you see his body after he died?”

“No. Sasha claimed tigers mutilated his body. She said he was cremated. I don’t believe a word she says.”

“I agree—it sounds suspicious. What are you doing about it?”

“I’ve got some people over there trying to find out whatwas happening before he died. He was there for a month, and I called him every day during that last week. I think she told me he was dead because I was about to visit them.”

“Let me know if I can help. They probably have him locked up somewhere. He wouldn’t be the first scientist they’ve kidnapped. But they knew they had to separate him from you and your brothers because they knew you’d figure it out.”

“So, you think he’s alive?”

“Yes, I do. You should talk to the Golden Team about it. You know them—you’re a former Army Special Forces guy, like them. Ever run into them?”

“Just once. Faron dated my girlfriend when I was overseas. The best thing that ever happened to me.”

“That doesn’t sound like Faron. He’d never date another man’s woman. He must not have known she was yours.”

“Maybe not. He looked surprised when I confronted him. I probably should’ve thanked him instead of punching him.”

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